U.S. patent number 7,145,776 [Application Number 10/745,100] was granted by the patent office on 2006-12-05 for midplane-less data storage enclosure.
This patent grant is currently assigned to EMC Corporation. Invention is credited to Adrianna D. Bailey, Albert F. Beinor, Jr., Maida Boudreau, John V. Burroughs, Joseph P. King, Jr., Stephen E. Strickland.
United States Patent |
7,145,776 |
King, Jr. , et al. |
December 5, 2006 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Midplane-less data storage enclosure
Abstract
Described is a midplane-less data storage enclosure having a
control board module with an electrical connector and a bulkhead
assembly with a plurality of spaced-apart disk-drive guides coupled
to a bulkhead. The disk-drive guides and bulkhead together define a
plurality of disk-drive slots. The bulkhead has connected thereto a
plurality of first electrical connectors and a second electrical
connector in electrical communication with each of the first
electrical connectors. Each slot slidably receives a storage disk
drive such that the storage disk drive electrically connects to one
of the first electrical connectors. The second electrical connector
is electrically connected to the connector of the control board
module so that each storage disk drive connected to one of the
first electrical connectors is in electrical communication with the
control board module.
Inventors: |
King, Jr.; Joseph P. (Sterling,
MA), Beinor, Jr.; Albert F. (Sutton, MA), Burroughs; John
V. (Mason, NH), Bailey; Adrianna D. (Upton, MA),
Strickland; Stephen E. (Marlboro, MA), Boudreau; Maida
(Brimfield, MA) |
Assignee: |
EMC Corporation (Hopkinton,
MA)
|
Family
ID: |
34679056 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/745,100 |
Filed: |
December 22, 2003 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20050135069 A1 |
Jun 23, 2005 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
361/725;
G9B/33.034; G9B/33.033; 361/679.4; 361/679.39 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B
33/127 (20130101); G11B 33/128 (20130101); H05K
7/20727 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H05K
5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;361/683-687,695,720,724-733 ;312/223.1,223.2 ;362/133,551,555,559
;439/928.4 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Feild; Lynn
Assistant Examiner: Edwards; Anthony Q.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Guerin & Rodriguez, LLP
Rodriguez; Michael A.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A bulkhead assembly for connecting storage disk drives to a
control board module, the bulkhead assembly comprising: a bulkhead
having a front wall, a base surface extending generally
perpendicularly from the front wall, and a rear wall extending
generally perpendicularly from the base surface and opposite the
front wall; a plurality of spaced-apart disk-drive guides coupled
generally perpendicular to the front wall of the bulkhead, each
disk-drive guide having a surface with a groove formed therein for
receiving a side edge of a storage disk drive, the grooves in
opposing surfaces of an adjacent pair of spaced-apart disk-drive
guides defining a slot into which the storage disk drive can be
slidably inserted; a plurality of electrical connectors connected
to the front wall, each electrical connector being aligned within a
different disk-drive slot for connecting to a storage disk drive
slidably received therein and for conveying data signals exchanged
between that storage disk drive and the control board module; and
an electrical connector connected to the rear wall of the bulkhead
for making electrical connection to the control board module, the
electrical connector connected to the rear wall being directly
connected by electrical wiring to each of the electrical connectors
connected to the front wall of the bulkhead, the control board
module exchanging data signals with each of the storage disk drives
in the disk-drive slots through the same electrical connector
connected to the rear wall.
2. The bulkhead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a
light-pipe partially embedded in a channel of one of the disk-drive
guides and extending through the front wall of the bulkhead.
3. The bulkhead assembly of claim 1, further comprising a plurality
of light-pipes each embedded in a channel of one of the disk-drive
guides and extending through the front wall of the bulkhead.
4. The bulkhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each disk-drive guide
has a tab extending from one end thereof and the bulkhead has a
T-shaped opening for receiving the tab and securing the disk-drive
guide to the bulkhead.
5. The bulkhead assembly of claim 1, wherein each storage disk
drive is a serial Advanced Technology Attachment drive.
6. A disk-drive guide, comprising a planar portion having a beveled
top edge with a resilient tab projecting therefrom, a first
surface, and a second surface on an opposite side of the planar
portion than the first surface, each surface having a plurality of
grooves formed therein, each groove sized to receive an edge of a
storage disk drive, the top edge of the planar portion being
closely received into an edge-guide located on a surface of a
chassis of an enclosure, the resilient tab bending when pressed
against the chassis surface while the disk-drive guide slides
within the edge-guide into the chassis and springing back to
original shape within an opening in the chassis surface when the
disk-drive guide is installed in the chassis.
7. The disk drive guide of claim 6, wherein the planar portion
further comprises a beveled bottom edge with a resilient tab
projecting therefrom, the bottom edge closely received into a
second edge-guide located on a second surface of the chassis and
the resilient tab of the bottom edge projecting into a second
opening in the second chassis surface when the disk-drive guide is
installed in the chassis.
8. The disk-drive guide of claim 6, wherein each of the first and
second surfaces includes a plurality of channels for embedded
light-pipes.
9. The disk-drive guide of claim 8, further comprising a front face
having a plurality of transparent regions each aligned with one of
the plurality of light-pipe channels.
10. The disk-drive guide of claim 6, further comprising a back end
having a T-shaped tab extending therefrom for insertion into an
opening in a wall of a bulkhead and, after being inserted, for
sliding into a locked position to secure the disk-drive guide to
the bulkhead wall.
11. The bulkhead assembly of claim 8, further comprising: a second
plurality of electrical connectors connected to the front wall,
each of the second plurality of electrical connectors connected to
the front wall providing an electrical connection for a storage
disk drive; and a second electrical connector connected to the rear
wall of the bulkhead for making electrical connection to the
control board module, the second electrical connector connected to
the rear wall being directly connected by one or more electrical
wires to each of the second plurality of electrical connectors
connected to the front wall of the bulkhead.
12. A midplane-less storage enclosure, comprising: a control board
module having an electrical connector; and a bulkhead assembly
including: a bulkhead having a base and opposing first and second
walls extending perpendicularly from the base; a plurality of
spaced-apart disk-drive guides coupled to first wall of the
bulkhead to define a plurality of disk-drive slots for slidably
receiving storage disk drives; a plurality of first electrical
connectors coupled to the first wall of the bulkhead, each first
electrical connector being aligned within a different disk-drive
slot for connecting to a storage disk drive slidably received
therein and for conveying data signals exchanged between that
storage disk drive and the control board module; an electrical
connector coupled to the second wall of the bulkhead and connected
to the electrical connector of the control board module; and wiring
electrically connecting each of the first electrical connectors to
the electrical connector coupled to the second wall, the control
board module exchanging data signals with each of the storage disk
drives in the disk-drive slots through the same electrical
connector coupled to the second wall.
13. The midplane-less storage enclosure of claim 12, further
comprising a chassis having a bottom, a top, and spaced-apart side
walls, the bottom and top each having an edge-guide on an inner
surface, and wherein each of the disk-drive guides has a beveled
top edge and a beveled bottom edge for sliding into one of the
edge-guides.
14. The midplane-less storage enclosure of claim 12, further
comprising a chassis having a bottom, a top and spaced-apart side
walls, the bottom and top each having an opening formed therein,
and wherein each of the disk-drive guides has a resilient tab
projecting from a top edge and a resilient tab projecting from a
bottom edge for sliding into one of the openings to secure the
disk-drive guide to the chassis.
15. The midplane-less enclosure of claim 12, further comprising a
light-pipe embedded in a channel of one of the disk-drive guides,
the light-pipe extending through the bulkhead.
16. The midplane-less storage enclosure of claim 15, further
comprising a stack arrangement of light-emitting diodes (LEDs)
electrically connected at an edge of the control board module, one
of the LEDs being in optical communication with the light-pipe.
17. The midplane-less enclosure of claim 12, further comprising a
plurality of fans mounted at an edge of the control board module
near the bulkhead, and wherein the bulkhead has a front wall, a
base surface extending generally perpendicularly from the front
wall toward the plurality of fans, and a rear wall extending
generally perpendicularly from the base surface opposite to the
front wall, to define a plenum for air that is drawn by the
plurality of fans.
18. The midplane-less storage enclosure of claim 12, wherein each
storage disk drive is a serial Advanced Technology Attachment
drive.
19. The midplane-less storage enclosure of claim 12, wherein the
control board module has a second electrical connector; and wherein
the bulkhead has connected thereto a second plurality of electrical
connectors and a third electrical connector directly connected by
one or more wires to each electrical connector of the second
plurality of electrical connectors, the third electrical connector
being electrically connected to the second electrical connector of
the control board module so that each storage disk drive connected
to one of the second plurality of electrical connectors is in
electrical communication with, the control board module.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to data storage systems. More
particularly, the invention relates to midplane-less
implementations of data storage enclosures.
BACKGROUND
A common feature present in typical implementations of data storage
system enclosures is the midplane. Generally, a midplane is a
multi-layer printed circuit board that provides interconnection
among the various modules in the storage enclosure, such as storage
disk drives and control boards. Inserted through front slots of the
enclosure, storage disk drives connect to one side of the midplane;
control boards connect to the other side of the midplane from the
back. Over signal paths constructed into the midplane the control
boards communicate with the storage disk drives.
Enclosures employing a midplane have certain disadvantages that can
impede the development of low-cost data storage systems. Apart from
manufacturing costs associated with a midplane, the electronics of
the midplane also has associated reliability and repair concerns.
Typically, the midplane is "tuned" to perform optimally with the
control boards and disk drive modules in the storage enclosures.
Problems with a midplane can require its replacement. However,
whereas the task of installing a new storage disk drive through a
front slot or of replacing a control board through the rear side of
the enclosure are relatively easy to perform, replacing or retuning
a midplane often requires the burdensome task of disassembling the
enclosure itself. Moreover, a midplane can occupy a sizable area
within a data storage enclosure, thus placing a limit on the
minimum size of a data storage enclosure design. Thus, there
remains a need for a midplane-less data storage enclosure that
avoids the disadvantages of having a midplane.
SUMMARY
In one aspect, the invention features a midplane-less storage
enclosure, comprising a control board module having an electrical
connector and a bulkhead assembly having a plurality of
spaced-apart disk-drive guides coupled to a bulkhead to define a
plurality of disk-drive slots. The bulkhead has connected thereto a
plurality of first electrical connectors and a second electrical
connector in electrical communication with each of the first
electrical connectors. Each slot slidably receives a storage disk
drive such that the storage disk drive electrically connects to one
of the first electrical connectors. The second electrical connector
is electrically connected to the connector of the control board
module so that each storage disk drive connected to one of the
first electrical connectors is in electrical communication with the
control board module.
In another aspect, the invention features a bulkhead assembly for
connecting storage disk drives to a control board module. The
bulkhead assembly comprises a bulkhead having a front wall, a base
surface extending generally perpendicularly from the front wall,
and a rear wall extending generally perpendicularly from the base
surface and opposite the front wall. A plurality of electrical
connectors is connected to the front wall, and a plurality of
spaced-apart disk-drive guides are coupled generally perpendicular
to the front wall of the bulkhead. Each disk-drive guide has a
surface with a groove formed therein for receiving a side edge of a
storage disk drive. The grooves of the opposing surfaces of an
adjacent pair of spaced-apart disk-drive guides define a slot into
which the storage disk drive can be slidably inserted. The slot is
aligned with the one of the electrical connectors so that an
electrical connector of the storage disk drive makes an electrical
connection with the one of the electrical connectors when the
storage disk drive is inserted into the slot.
In yet another aspect, the invention features a disk-drive guide
comprising a planar portion having a beveled top edge with a
resilient tab projecting therefrom, a first surface, and a second
surface on an opposite side of the planar portion than the first
surface. Each surface has a plurality of grooves formed therein.
Each groove is sized to receive an edge of a storage disk drive.
The top edge of the planar portion is closely received into an
edge-guide located on a surface of a chassis of an enclosure while
the resilient tab projects into an opening in the chassis surface
when the disk-drive guide is installed in the chassis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and further advantages of this invention may be better
understood by referring to the following description in conjunction
with the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals indicate
like structural elements and features in various figures. The
drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being
placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of a data storage
enclosure constructed in accordance with the invention.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of an embodiment of a disk-drive guide
of the invention.
FIG. 3A is a side view of a first side of the embodiment of the
disk-drive guide of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3B is a side view of the opposite side of the embodiment of
the disk-drive guide of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the embodiment of the disk-drive guide of
FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is an isometric front view of an embodiment of a bulkhead of
the invention.
FIG. 6 is a rear view of the embodiment of the bulkhead of the
invention.
FIG. 7 is a front view of an embodiment of a bulkhead assembly
including a plurality of storage rails attached to the bulkhead of
FIG. 5.
FIG. 8 is a rear view of the embodiment of the bulkhead assembly of
FIG. 7, including a plurality of light pipes connected to the
bulkhead.
FIG. 9 is an isometric view of an embodiment of control board
module including a fan assembly and LED modules.
FIG. 10 is a front view of an embodiment of an LED module.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Data storage enclosures constructed in accordance with the
invention operate without a midplane. In brief overview, the
invention features an electromechanical mechanism for connecting
storage disk drives directly to a control board, thus enabling such
storage components to exchange signals and data without having to
traverse signal traces of a midplane. The ability to operate
without a midplane enables designs for smaller data storage
enclosures, reduces manufacturing costs, and avoids the
aforementioned reliability and repair concerns associated with a
midplane.
FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a midplane-less data storage
enclosure 2 constructed in accordance with the invention. Fully
assembled, one embodiment of the data storage enclosure 2 has a
front-to-back dimension of approximately 26 inches and a width of
approximately 173/4 inches. The data storage enclosure 2 includes a
chassis 4 for housing a control board module 6 connected to a
bulkhead assembly 8. The chassis 4 has an open front end 10, and
open back end 12, a pair of side walls 14-1, 14-2, a bottom surface
16, and a top surface 18. In one embodiment, the chassis 4 is
constructed of electrically conductive material such as sheet
metal.
Near the front end 10 of the chassis 4, the bottom and top surfaces
16, 18 each have a plurality of openings 20 and edge-guides 21. For
clarity, only a portion of the openings 20 and edge-guides 21 have
reference numerals drawn to them in the figure. The edge-guides 21
are aligned in pairs comprised of a forward edge-guide 21' and a
rearward edge-guide 21''. On each surface 16, 18, each opening 20
is aligned between each pair of edge-guides 21', 21''. For purposes
of this description, the use of terms such as top, bottom, side,
front, back, forward, rearward, vertical, and lateral, is with
respect to the horizontal orientation of the data storage enclosure
2 as shown in FIG. 1. It is to be understood that such terms are
relative to the particular orientation of the enclosure 2, and are
not intended to place a restriction upon the orientation of the
enclosure 2 when deployed in its field of operation.
The bulkhead assembly 8 includes a plurality of spatially separated
inner disk-drive guides 22, outer disk-drive guides 23, and a
G-shaped bulkhead 24. One end of each inner disk-drive guide 22 is
attached to the bulkhead 24, and the edges of the outer disk-drive
guides 23 are attached to the chassis 4. The planes of disk-drive
guides 22, 23 are generally parallel to each other and extend
generally perpendicularly away from a front wall 26 of the bulkhead
24. Opposing surfaces of each pair of adjacent disk-drive guides
22, 23 define storage disk-drive slots. Each storage disk-drive
slot closely receives a storage disk drive 28. In the embodiment
shown, the bulkhead assembly 8 includes five storage disk-drive
guides 22, 23 that divide the bulkhead 24 into four sections or
columns, each section defining slots for three storage disk-drives
for 12 storage disk drives in all. In one embodiment, the storage
disk drives 28 are Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
drives, and the lateral spacing between adjacent disk-drive guides
22, 23 is such that each storage disk-drive slot closely receives
an ATA drive. Other types of storage disk-drives, such as parallel
ATA (PATA) and Fibre Channel, can be used without departing from
the principles of the invention.
Extending perpendicularly from a rear face of the bulkhead 24 is a
plurality of light-pipes 30. Edge connectors 25, of which only one
is seen in FIG. 1, extend from a rear wall of the G-shaped bulkhead
24.
In general, the control board module 6 includes redundant storage
processors (not shown) and attendant circuitry, for writing data to
and reading data from the storage disk drives 28 inserted into
slots of the bulkhead assembly 8, and redundant power supplies for
powering the storage processors and disk drives 28. The control
board module 6 includes a processor board 31 to which the power
supplies and storage processors are electrically connected, a
plurality of electrical finger connectors 32 extending from an edge
33 of the processor board 31, side walls 34-1, 34-2, a rear wall
36, and a top portion 38. A fan assembly 40 extends between the
side walls 34-1, 34-2 at the edge 33 of the processor board 31. The
lateral and vertical dimensions of the control board module 6 are
such that the control board module 6 fits closely within the
chassis 4.
To assemble the enclosure 2, the bulkhead assembly 8 slides into
the open front end 10 of the chassis 4 and the control board module
6 slides into the chassis 4 through the open back end 12. (The
three inner disk-drive guides 22 are typically attached before the
bulkhead assembly 8 is inserted into the chassis 4, and the two
outer disk-drive guides 23 are attached after the bulkhead assembly
8 is inserted into the chassis 4.) The edge connectors 32 attach to
the edge connectors 25 of the bulkhead 24, to secure the control
board module 6 to the bulkhead assembly 8. The light pipes 30
extending from the bulkhead 24 align with the LED modules 39.
Within the chassis 4, the generally G-shape of the bulkhead 24
provides a plenum in front of the fan assembly 40. In one
embodiment, the distance from the front wall 26 of the bulkhead 24
to the front of the fan assembly 40 is approximately 1.5 inches.
During operation, the fans draw air from the front end 10 of the
chassis 4 to the back end 12. The air passes over and below the
storage disk drives 28 through openings in the wall 26 of the
bulkhead 24, through the plenum, and into the control board module
6.
FIG. 2 shows an isometric side view of an embodiment of a
disk-drive guide 22 including a beveled top edge 50, a beveled
bottom edge 52, a front face 54, a back end 56, and opposite sides
58-1, 58-2. Each outer disk-drive guide 23 has features similar to
those described below for the disk-drive guide 22, with particular
differences being noted. In one embodiment, each disk-drive guide
22, 23 is made of plastic material. Each beveled edge 50, 52 has a
resilient tab 60-1, 60-2, respectively. The locations of the tabs
60-1, 60-2 on their respective edges 50, 52 correspond to the
locations of the openings 20 in the top and bottom surfaces 18, 16
of the chassis 4. Each side 58-1, 58-2 has a plurality of pairs of
raised ridges 62 extending for part of the length of the disk-drive
guide 22, 23 (one of the sides 58-1, 58-2 of each outer disk-drive
guide 23 can be planar, i.e., the outer side can be without
groove-defining ridges). Each pair of raised ridges 62 defines a
groove 64 for slidably receiving a lip or an edge of a storage disk
drive 28. In the embodiment shown, the raised ridges 62 define
three grooves 64-1, 64-2, 64-3 for three storage disk drives 28.
Each storage disk drive 28 enters one of the grooves 64 from the
front face 54 of the disk-drive guide 22, 23.
Extending from the back end 56 from each inner disk-drive guide 22,
at the end of each groove 64-1, 64-2, 64-3, is a T-shaped tab 66-1,
66-2, 66-3, respectively (generally T-shaped tab 66). As described
in more detail below, each T-shaped tab 66 enters an opening in the
front wall 26 of the bulkhead 24 and slides into a locking position
within the opening to secure the disk-drive guide 22 to the
bulkhead 24. In one embodiment, the outer disk-drive guides 23 abut
but do not attach to the bulkhead 24 when installed in the chassis
4, and accordingly do not have tabs corresponding to the tabs 66 of
the disk-drive guides 22. In another embodiment, the outer
disk-drive guides 23 have tabs that project through and secure to
the bulkhead 24.
Each side 58-1, 58-2 also has a plurality of channels 68-1, 68-2,
68-3 (generally, channel 68) extending lengthwise through that side
from the front face 54 to the back end 56. Each channel 68 receives
a light-pipe (not shown). Tab pair 70 constrains the light-pipe 30
within the channel 68. Each light-pipe 30 enters the inner
disk-drive guide 22 from the back end 56 and abuts an arrow-shaped
window 72 or to a rectangular window 74 in the front face 54. Each
window 72, 74 is a transparent region of the front face 54. Light
emanating from an arrow-shaped window 72 serves to indicate the
operational status of the storage disk drive 28 towards which that
arrowed window 72 is generally pointing. The rectangular window 74
indicates an operational status (e.g., system fault or system
operational) of the data storage enclosure 2. The light originates
from LEDs on the control board module 6 and travels through the
light-pipes 30 embedded in the channels 68 of the disk-drive guide
22. Although formed with light-pipe channels 68, whether a
particular disk-drive guide 22 has any installed light-pipes 30
depends upon the location of that disk-drive guide 22 in the
bulkhead assembly 8. For example, in the embodiment shown, the
inner disk-drive guide 22 at the center of the bulkhead assembly 8
does not have light-pipes 30. Similarly the outer disk-drive guides
23 do not carry light-pipes (and may be constructed without
channels 68). Accordingly, the front faces 54 of these particular
disk-drive guides 22, 23 can be constructed without windows 72,
74.
FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B show the inner disk-drive guide 22 from the one
side 58-1 and the opposite side 58-2, respectively. FIG. 3A shows
grooves 64-1', 64-2', and 64-3' (generally, groove 64'), each for
receiving an edge of a storage disk drive 28. Each groove 64' is
located opposite a corresponding groove 64 on the other side 58-2
of the disk-drive guide 22. The side 58-1 also has a plurality of
light-pipe channels 68-1', 68-2', and 68-3' extending the length of
the disk-drive guide 22, from the back end 56 to the front face 54,
and ending at an arrowed window 72. An additional light-pipe
channel 76 in the side 58-1 extends to the rectangular window
74.
The view provided in FIG. 3B of the other side 58-2 illustrates the
projection of the resilient tab 60-1 above the top edge 50 and of
the resilient tab 60-2 below the bottom edge 52. Behind each
resilient tab 60 is an open region 78-1, 78-2 into which the
respective tab 60-1, 60-2 bends upon coming into contact with the
top 18 or bottom 16 chassis surface when the bulkhead assembly 8 is
slid into the chassis 4. The tabs 60 return to their original shape
when the tabs 60 become aligned with the openings 20 in the top 18
and bottom 16 surfaces. By returning to their original shapes, the
tabs 60 project into the openings 20. The planar edge 80-1, 80-2 of
each tab 60-1, 60-2, respectively, prevents the bulkhead assembly 8
from sliding back out of the chassis 4. Corresponding tabs 60 of
the outer disk-drive guides 23 also enter respective openings 20 in
the top 18 and bottom 16 surfaces of the chassis 4 to prevent such
disk-drive guides 23 from sliding back out of the chassis 4.
FIG. 4 shows a front view of the embodiment of the inner disk-drive
guide 22 of FIG. 2. Directed at the front face 54, this front view
shows the beveled aspect of the top and bottom edges 50, 52 of the
disk-drive guide 22. When the disk-drive guide 22, as part of the
bulkhead assembly 8, is slid into the chassis 4, the beveled top
edge 50 slides into the forward and rearward edge-guides 21', 21''
located on the underside of the top chassis surface 18 and the
beveled bottom edge 52 slides into the forward and rearward
edge-guides 21', 21'' on the topside of the bottom chassis surface
16. The forward and rearward edge-guides 21', 21'' restrain the
front and back of the disk-drive guide 22, respectively, from
moving laterally within the chassis 4. Thus, the tabs 60 and
beveled edges 50, 52, in combination with the openings 20 and
edge-guides 21, secure the bulkhead assembly 8 to the chassis 4,
without the need for mechanical fasteners such as screws and
bolts.
FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the G-shaped bulkhead 24 with the
perforated front wall 26, a base surface 27 extending generally
perpendicularly from the front wall 26, and a rear wall 94
extending generally perpendicularly from the base surface 27 and
opposite the front wall 26. The bulkhead 24 can be constructed of
various materials, such as sheet metal or injection molded plastic.
Openings 80 are each for receiving an electrical connector that
connects to a storage disk drive 28 to be installed in the
enclosure 2. This particular embodiment has twelve such openings 80
for twelve storage disk drives 28 (four columns of three), although
not all twelve are numbered for the sake of clarity. In one
embodiment, the wall 26 of the bulkhead is numbered from 0 to 11 to
identify the individual storage disk drive locations. Openings 84
are provided to permit the front-to-back flow of air drawn by the
fans in the control board module 6. Only a portion of the openings
84 are numbered.
T-shaped openings 88 are for receiving the T-shaped tabs 66 of the
disk-drive guides 22. The dimensions of each T-shaped opening 88
are such that the tab 66 can be inserted completely through the
wide portion of the opening 88, and then slid downward into the
narrow portion of the opening 88. When that tab 66 is in this
locked position, the disk-drive guide 22 cannot slide forward or
backward with respect to the bulkhead 24.
Openings 92 are for receiving the light-pipes 30 (FIG. 1) that
extend therethrough from the back side of the bulkhead 24 into the
channels 68 of the disk-drive guides 22. In one embodiment, such
light-pipe openings 92 are formed in the bulkhead 24 only for the
two disk-drive guides 22 that are to be placed immediately adjacent
the center disk-drive guide 22. The rear wall 94 of the bulkhead 24
has a plurality of openings 96 (only one of which is visible in
FIG. 5), each opening 96 being sized to receive an edge connector
(not shown). FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the bulkhead 24 to further
illustrate the location of the plurality of connector openings 96
formed in the rear wall 94. In the embodiment shown, there are
openings 96 for four connectors, one connector for each of the four
columns of storage disk drives. Also formed in the rear wall 94 is
a pair of openings 98 on opposite sides of each connector opening
96. Fasteners, such as screws, pass through these openings to
secure the connectors to the rear wall 94.
FIG. 7 shows a front view of one embodiment of the bulkhead
assembly 8 with three inner disk-drive guides 22 coupled to the
front of the bulkhead 24. Light-pipes 30 extend through light-pipe
channels in two of the three disk-drive guides 22 and project from
the back of the bulkhead 24 to form two columns of seven
light-pipes 30. Electrical connectors 100 are inserted into each of
the connector openings 80 (FIG. 5), being pushed through the
connector opening 80 from the rear side of the bulkhead 24, and
secured to the bulkhead 24 by a fastener. In embodiments using
Serial ATA disk drives, the electrical connectors 100 are standard
Serial ATA connectors. Such connectors permit Serial ATA disk
drives to be hot swapped, that is, inserted and removed while power
is being supplied to the connector 100 for the disk drive. An edge
connector 102 is also shown mounted to the rear wall 94 at one of
the connector openings 96 (FIG. 6). FIG. 8 shows the bulkhead
assembly 8 from a rear view to illustrate more clearly the two sets
of seven light-pipes 30, the electrical connectors 100, and the
edge connectors 102. There is one edge connector 102 for each
column of electrical connectors 100. For each column, electrical
ribbon cables or wires 103 electrically connect the three
electrical connectors 100 to one edge connector 102 located at the
base of that column. In the embodiment shown, four edge connectors
102 are shown, and each edge connector 102 makes an electrical
connection to three SATA electrical connectors 100.
FIG. 9 shows the control board module 6 of FIG. 1 in more detail,
including the row of electrical finger connectors 32-1, 32-2, 32-3,
32-4 extending from the edge 33 of the processor board 31, the fan
assembly 40 extending between the side walls 34-1, 34-2 at the edge
33 of the processor board, and the LED modules 39. Each edge
connector 32 mates with a corresponding edge connector 102 mounted
to the bulkhead assembly 8. Individual fans or the entire fan
assembly 40 can be removed from the control board module 6.
FIG. 10 shows a front view of an embodiment of an LED module 39.
The LED module 39 includes a plurality of stacked pairs of LED
pairs 120, a circuit board (not shown) connected to each LED, and a
plurality of electrical pins 124 by which the LEDs are in
electrical communication with the processor board 31 of the control
board module 6. In this embodiment, the electrical pins 124 are
arranged in two rows of eight pins, the back row being occluded in
the figure by the front row.
The LED module 39 displaces the LEDs from the plane of the
processor board 31 so that the LEDs can be appropriately aligned
with the light-pipes 30. An oval open-faced casing surrounds each
LED pair 120 for closely receiving one of the light-pipes 30
extending from the back side of the bulkhead assembly 8. The top
LED pair 120-1 in the LED stack 39 corresponds to a system status
and connects to the light-pipe 30 that abuts the system status
window 74 on the front face of the storage disk drive guide 22. The
remaining LED pairs in the LED stack 39 correspond to one of the
storage disk drives 28. One LED of each pair 120 indicates a system
or disk drive fault, e.g., an amber LED, and the other indicates
that the system of disk drive is operating properly, e.g., a green
or blue LED.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to
specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood by those
skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be
made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the following claims.
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